MPs from Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Labour parties yesterday joined leading freight transport organisations in calling for a fairer deal on fuel.
The Freight Transport Association, the Road Haulage Association and TV Motoring Journalist Quentin Willson presented MPs Philip Davies (Conservative), Stephen Lloyd (Lib Dem), Nick Smith (Labour) and Alan Reid (Scottish Liberal Democrat) with more than 600 letters addressed to all MPs urging for the April fuel duty rise to be scrapped.
Davies said: “The high price of fuel is crippling not only hauliers, but the general motorist. We’re all here today to try and bring about some pressure on the government to reduce the duty on fuel. I hope the chancellor is listening to the concerns people are expressing; given that two thirds of the cost of a litre of fuel is tax, the onus is on him to reduce duty.”
Quentin Wilson said: “If something isn’t done soon, it will de-stabilise the whole economy. If the Chancellor persists with the April duty rise, the irony is that any receipts it brings in will be wiped out by the fact that people will travel less and spend less.”
The FairFuelUK petition has now collated over 24,000 signatures, with another 30,000 estimated following the download of 1,500 petition forms, each with space for 20 signatures. To sign the petition visit www.fairfueluk.com.
